That sounds like a great way to fix the value and pricing problem for the 3DS: just make retail games that are compilations of smaller, varied titles. You get more justifiable bang for your $40 that way. Very few original (3rd party) games on the system seem capable of justifying that price alone, so why not combine 2 to 4 on a cart?
Wow I'd never seen that abandoned GBC port before. I'd love to play it. Often there's something even creepier about old-fashioned and limited graphics. I remember how frightening the very first Alone in the Dark was, with its abysmal polygon counts and simple backgrounds.
In fact, screw the recent trend towards realism; photo-realistic horror games are becoming less and less frightening. I want a survival horror game that looks more like the drawings that terrified me as a kid, in those Scary Stories to tell... illustrated books.
QR codes are a useful idea for adding levels and content. That could easily also allow for users to design levels in another app, online or elsewhere, and then distribute their own generated QR codes to friends. That doesn't seem to be the plan here, but would be easy enough to implement (in fact, they might want to watch out for unofficial QR code hacks that are sure to show up eventually).
Anyhow, it keeps the distribution of levels out of the game itself (and potentially private like Friend Codes), which surely allows for some flexibility. I only wish Wario Ware DIY had allowed for users to generate QR codes of their levels or collections of levels, so you could come to a site, scan one, and start playing. The sharing mechanism in place for that game is fun but limited.
Lastly, my dream: Nintendo needs to release Super Mario Advance 4 on the 3DS VC and use QR codes to distribute the eReader levels, maybe even creating new ones every now and then.
Just remember, if things get too intense, open your attache' case and stare at your inventory. The zombies will recognize that you're busy, and leave you alone 'til you're ready again.
Well, I just like to complain and judge little things like this; half the fun of Mario games for me now (I'm getting old and have sure been playing these for ages >_<) is seeing where the creators and designers take the series next. Nintendo is often criticized for resting on its key franchises, but the fact of the matter is that they're absolute geniuses at taking something classic or established and moving it in a new, surprising direction. I expect that from each new entry, and I generally can't wait to see what they come up with next.
RIght now, Nintendo seems to be in a different phase with Mario: not extending or adding to the gameplay concepts, but simply refining and consolidating. It's like Miyamoto is trying to distill the perfect synthesis of the past games (2D and 3D) but keep its presentation about as simple as the very first NES entry. I'm interested in what he's doing, but I'm worried about stepping backwards too much rather than forwards. You can do both; Galaxy was an amazing restatement of the Mario formula yet also felt like a Mario game from the distant future, taking us where we never thought the series could go. Since then, however, they don't seem so ambitious, and they're also slowly abandoning everything unique about the 3D entries.
But I'm sure I'll still have a great time playing this one.
It's not just the map, but the combination of map, story, and presentation. I'm talking about how the game frames itself, wrapping something of significance around the set of levels. Previous Mario entries felt like new experiences due in large part to how they framed the level gameplay; it was something stunning to walk into Peach's castle for the first time (64) or to see the expansive, secret-filled terrain of Dinosaur Land. It was also a wondrous thing to be launched into the stars from the festival at the beginning of Galaxy, with the storybook unfolding slowly to explain the mysterious Rosalina and role of the Lumas.
But Mario 3D Land gives us nothing: Hey, the leaves were taken... here's some levels!
Actually Hudson no longer has anything to do with Mario Party. The devs who had been in charge of that series from the start were split off from Hudson into a new dev team owned entirely by Nintendo, and their first game post-Hudson was Wii Party. Now they are developing Mario Party 9, previewed at E3.
So Mario Party is now a fully first-party series, with Hudson playing no role. That has me very excited to see what MP9 is going to look like.
It's interesting how much this game's setup mirrors that of Wind Waker: the old Hyrule, long ago fallen, is lost down below. Now, instead of the world being covered by water and Hyrule submerged, the people have retreated to the clouds, but its the same basic idea of upper / lower worlds.
I prefer the Wind Waker into and setup to this one. It was darker and more mysterious, and didn't explain what actually happened to Hyrule until you find it later in the game, deep under the ocean, and that was one of the most stunning moments in Zelda history.
@39 Tetris DS is known for its style, sure, but also for its unique gameplay modes, and for how those interact with the retro styling. The Nintendo themes aren't static, they actually change and follow the gameplay; mission mode, for example, has changing Zelda scenes on the top screen as you progress, making it feel like each mission really means defeating a classic Zelda enemy.
Just one more example, my favorite of many modes: Push Mode is, in my mind, the greatest Tetris innovation since the franchise began, and you can only play it in Tetris DS (with awesome Donkey Kong v. Mario art framing it). It completely changes the strategy of 2-player Tetris and makes it a frantic yet complex kind of competition, with excellent AI if you don't want to go online.
"Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are like two sides of the same coin, and Skyward Sword looks like it's going to combine the best traits of both games"
You know, you're right. That's an interesting trend right now in the Miyamoto-led franchises: they seem to be focused on consolidating and integrating the different kinds of gameplay and visuals from recent entries, attempting to produce a pure formula that retains a little of everything. That includes Skyward Sword's integration of WW and TP, as you said, but also includes Mario 3D Land in its attempt to fully integrate NSMB with the 3D entries. They're not focusing on expanding but on consolidating the gameplay right now, it seems.
I partly disagree. Galaxy's hub was not as complex or fun as Mario 64 or Sunshine, to be sure, but that aspect of Galaxy was still infinitely better handled than its sequel. Not just the hub itself, but the way you reach the hub--after that dramatic festival intro and landing on your first 3D planet, chasing that rabbit--gave the trip to space and planets a real sense of wonder, like nothing you'd ever played before. More importantly, the mystery of Rosalina and the storybook was the real heart of the hub world. I love that book; I'd pay quite a lot for a coffee-table version of it. It was a perfect children's story, full of wonder but also sadness and loss, and composed with beautiful drawings. Plus, the hub had little bits of foreshadowing (the red luma with his 'secret', etc) and development as you slowly lit up more and more of its areas.
@Stardust
Yep, right now it's Koizumi (director of Sunshine and the first Galaxy, a fan of storytelling and of the 'playground' experience - "I wanted to simulate child's play. That was the first priority") versus Miyamoto (insisted on having no story and no hub for Galaxy 2, emphasized return to linear levels), and the latter is winning. This is one of those rare cases in which I'd like Miyamoto to take a step back and let the talented people under him take things in a new direction.
That's the absurd nature of some of these franchises: every time new hardware pops up, someone snags the license and tries to cash in on remaking it for the new system. However, they forget one thing: if it doesn't exceed the past iterations of the game, its existence simply isn't justified.
Yeah, this is Tetris--on the 3DS!--but it looks like a huge step back from Tetris DS, so why bother making this game in the first place? I hate games that created simply to cash in on a new system. It's not enough to bring an old game to new hardware: you have to make that new hardware count, make the game take on an entirely new feel and quality due to the new capabilities. They tried an AR mode here, but it looks dull. Tetris DS made clever use of the dual screens, touch controls, and more to justify its existence as a new coming of Tetris, and added some ideas (push mode!) that were a huge step forward for the franchise. This one, not so much. So why bother?
I waited a long time to play it--long after the initial praise died down and the vocal minority of disgruntled fans took over--so I was able to play TP with fairly open expectations. I loved it. It's a grand adventure game with a ton of detail and, in my mind, a far better story and atmosphere than any prior 3D Zelda outside of Majora's Mask. So, count me among the supporters.
As for the map itself, it's broken down into Worlds, each of which is a single straight line. Nothing special, really.
Indeed. To me, without any kind of framing in the map to give it an overarching sense of adventure, it'll likely just feel like a "3D Mario Level Pack!" instead of a truly significant new entry in the Mario series. That's how I felt about Galaxy 2; it was a level pack for Galaxy, but never felt like its own game with its own vision and frame. Just think back to all the great Mario games of the past... each one felt like entering an entirely new world or era, with something surprising and exciting to frame all the stages: the new overhead maps of Mario 3, Dinosaur Land in SMW with all its areas and secrets, those mysterious castle hallways and secret rooms to explore in 64, the wonderful, living playground of Delfino Plaza, or the fantastic opening journey from the festival to that floating spaceship with Rosalina. Here we have... some 3D levels.
Oh well, I do like the sound of the CirclePad+RunButton. With the diminished range of the circle pad, the difference between running and walking wouldn't end up playing any significant gameplay role without it. A real run button should restore the quick toggle between the two states.
I agree with you except for the NSMB part. The DS NSMB had a horribly linear map that isn't much better than what we're seeing above. In fact, while I greatly enjoyed the Wii game, the DS NSMB is what I'd rate as the worst entry in the main Mario series since at least the Mario Land games. The maps were basic, the level design was lacking... it just didn't do it for me. Bringing more of Nintendo's big developers in for the Wii game fortunately changed all of that, as did the fantastic multiplayer which was more than half its worth to me.
We agree that Galaxy 2 is the lowest of them all regarding its maps, but I would say that the problem started with the DS game, and Galaxy 2 just tried to bring the 3D games closer to that model.
Well, I don't believe the Mushroom House should count as a level, unless it's more substantial than I'm expecting. So I'd count the baseline at 6*8 or 48 levels. Of course, with Mully, I do expect some branching eventually...
But it still doesn't change the fact that it feels like an ad-hoc collection of individual pieces without any kind of real map or overview to bring it together. Even Yoshi's Island, which had a very linear map per world, backed that up with a nifty 3D overview of the island as you progress across its terrain and upwards. Who knows, maybe something like that is here, but it doesn't look that way at the moment.
The lower screen is disappointing. I always thought that NSMB (DS) missed a huge opportunity there, and here they are copying it. Actually, the one neat trick the DS title had up its sleeve was those rare cases in which it threw you to the lower screen through a pipe, but even that surely won't happen here due to the 3D / 2D problem between the screens.
I wonder if they'll also make any Skyward Sword videos. If so, I hope they've already recorded them, before the loss of the mighty beard. It just wouldn't be the same.
Would someone please explain how these advertisements are different? I could swear I just watched exactly the same video twice. It must be a subtle difference.
Ha, that's just sad It reminds me of those horrible look-a-like videos that would be on the shelves whenever the next Disney VHS showed up, with a similar theme, similar title, and characters arranged in roughly the same places on the cover. Bait for unaware parents or grandparents at Christmas who don't notice something like The Kingly Lion isn't actually The Lion King.
Yeah but you know how those "indie" types are. Of course they don't get along with Nintendo; he's the older, established guy who gets all the ladies. >_<
Not me; I played Sunshine within the last 3 years, and I'm certainly not in the 'younger set' given that I've been playing since the first NES Mario game hit the shelf.
I have to say that camera controls have almost never bothered me in a Mario game. I know people complain, but I can't figure out why. It's so simple to adjust with the c-stick while running.
Anyhow, Sunshine had by far the greatest open 'playground' experiences of any 3D Mario game. Just the opening area around the town square is tremendously entertaining, with so many things to mess around with, places to try and reach through various jumping and water usage, etc. That playground experience is the polar opposite of the linear get-to-the-goal kind of Mario game. Galaxy balanced both extraordinarily well, but since then, they've failed to incorporate the former kind of play.
Sort of, but the first Galaxy game was actually headed in a few different directions. Games are made by teams, not individuals, and having read just about every interview published on the development of the Galaxy games, I can tell you that Miyamoto's vision diverged from that of Koiziumi in a number of respects.
For instance, Koizumi is a "romantic" in Miyamoto's words, and was responsible for the somewhat bittersweet storytelling with the book and whatnot (and was responsible for the storytelling in Link's Awakening, as well), which Miya. later found to be too heavy for the Mario series, insisting that the follow-up make it simple: Peach likes cake, so she gets trapped and needs rescuing.
That story gave the first Galaxy a real sense of wonder and journey instead of just offering up a list of levels. On the gameplay front, there was also much better balance between those areas where you slow down, explore, and take in the atmosphere and those areas which are more quick and linear. The second game gave much of that up and went wither a quicker tempo across the board, but undeniably something was lost that could have been seized upon differently after the first game. Koizumi slipped back from director to producer for the second entry, and his downsized role is key to the huge difference in approach.
As much as I love Miyamoto's work, part of me would like to see him pass the mantle onto Koizumi for at least the 3D games, and divert his own attention to the 2D entries.
Yes, that's another problem: a 2D Mario game just isn't complete without a world map. It's such a shame that they've given up on that point.
I usually am in agreement with just about everything Miyamoto does (heck, I'm a huge fan of Wii Music), but I've actually begun to feel a little disheartened lately with his approach to the Mario series. He has other staff who would prefer to take things in a different direction, like Koizumi who was responsible for the wonderful story in Galaxy, but he keeps reigning them in and simplifying the series.
I'm excited for this one, but... I sure hope that Nintendo hasn't given up on the more exploratory 3D Mario formula. I'm one of those people who greatly prefers the first Galaxy to the second, precisely because the latter was too linear and also dispensed with any kind of hub or story.
Don't get me wrong, I find Nintendo's obsession with bridging 2D and 3D gameplay to be fascinating and innovative. I just hope we haven't seen the last of games like Sunshine.
I've downloaded it on my old DSi and my 3DS, which makes for a great ready-made two player setup... but when I convinced a friend to have a go, we ran into an unfortunate problem. We played through a long level, having a great time, and then a 'communication error' occurred and destroyed all our progress, straight back to the menu as if we hadn't been playing : /
We were sitting side my side, but I wonder if having the systems too close could actually cause a wireless error; I believe I was leaning in to see her screen and had the systems within a few inches when the error came up. Oh well.
I agree; the first Wario Land was the greatest in the entire set, bettering the ML games and still remaining unsurpassed in subsequent Wario Land entries. However, WL4 might come close.
Back on topic- when I originally played SML2, it felt a bit off, with the peculiar levels and overall design approach. I suppose I was expecting something more like the console Mario games. However, all these years later, I'm replaying it in light of what the same developers went on to do with the Wario games, and I now recognize the greatness here. SML2 isn't perfect, but it is a highly original and quirky take on the Mario formula, foreshadowing their decision to switch protagonists and take things in an even more creative direction.
I feel like the developers of the Mario Land series (a completely different group of people from the teams responsible for the home games) were always looking to create a unique twist on the Mario formula, but just couldn't quite bring it together until this game. ML1 and ML2 were certainly fun, but something didn't feel quite right... probably because the red plumber simply wasn't a natural fit for their very different creative vision.
They're not worried about hurting retail sales for these old games, because they're not in active production anyway as far as I know. All the sales are just used copies at this point.
However, they probably are worried about the download availability of GBA games this early hurting the sales of the classic GB / GBC games that they want to milk. They'd rather tap into that back catalog for a while before offering GBA titles, I believe. Why overshadow the classic Mario Land games by releasing the Super Mario Advance games at the same time?
"The popular online games work in lots of things, so they play well online"
True, there is a great deal of gray-area logic and behind the scenes adjustments for the constant shifts in lag, as I understand it. The smooth experience you get in an online game doesn't really come from the web actually being that fast or simultaneous... it's more of a constant adjustment and correction (by the server?) to create a seemingly smooth experience out of chaotic timing, lags, etc.
The original game is in my queue of horror games to replay between now and Halloween. Unlike all other horror-ish games, though, this one is adorable, and makes me feel like a child watching Halloween specials again.
I'm tired of the gore and zombie nonsense having taken over all things horror-related. I don't see why we can't have more "spooky" and atmospheric games and less of the extreme. We need Luigi's Mansion 2 more than ever.
Comments 1,593
Re: Guild 01 Is a 3DS Compilation by Japan's Brightest Lights
That sounds like a great way to fix the value and pricing problem for the 3DS: just make retail games that are compilations of smaller, varied titles. You get more justifiable bang for your $40 that way. Very few original (3rd party) games on the system seem capable of justifying that price alone, so why not combine 2 to 4 on a cart?
Re: Feature: Resident Evil's Nintendo History
Wow I'd never seen that abandoned GBC port before. I'd love to play it. Often there's something even creepier about old-fashioned and limited graphics. I remember how frightening the very first Alone in the Dark was, with its abysmal polygon counts and simple backgrounds.
In fact, screw the recent trend towards realism; photo-realistic horror games are becoming less and less frightening. I want a survival horror game that looks more like the drawings that terrified me as a kid, in those Scary Stories to tell... illustrated books.
Re: Interview: Enjoy Gaming - Pyramids (3DS eShop)
QR codes are a useful idea for adding levels and content. That could easily also allow for users to design levels in another app, online or elsewhere, and then distribute their own generated QR codes to friends. That doesn't seem to be the plan here, but would be easy enough to implement (in fact, they might want to watch out for unofficial QR code hacks that are sure to show up eventually).
Anyhow, it keeps the distribution of levels out of the game itself (and potentially private like Friend Codes), which surely allows for some flexibility. I only wish Wario Ware DIY had allowed for users to generate QR codes of their levels or collections of levels, so you could come to a site, scan one, and start playing. The sharing mechanism in place for that game is fun but limited.
Lastly, my dream: Nintendo needs to release Super Mario Advance 4 on the 3DS VC and use QR codes to distribute the eReader levels, maybe even creating new ones every now and then.
Re: If You Like Storage and Nintendo We Have Just the Site for You
Flash drives are fine, but nowadays I just throw things in the cloud.
Re: Nintendo UK Launches New WiiWare Portal
I hope that title didn't get anyone's hopes up about Valve support.
Re: Feature: How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse
Just remember, if things get too intense, open your attache' case and stare at your inventory. The zombies will recognize that you're busy, and leave you alone 'til you're ready again.
Re: FAQ: Your Super Mario 3D Land Questions
Well, I just like to complain and judge little things like this; half the fun of Mario games for me now (I'm getting old and have sure been playing these for ages >_<) is seeing where the creators and designers take the series next. Nintendo is often criticized for resting on its key franchises, but the fact of the matter is that they're absolute geniuses at taking something classic or established and moving it in a new, surprising direction. I expect that from each new entry, and I generally can't wait to see what they come up with next.
RIght now, Nintendo seems to be in a different phase with Mario: not extending or adding to the gameplay concepts, but simply refining and consolidating. It's like Miyamoto is trying to distill the perfect synthesis of the past games (2D and 3D) but keep its presentation about as simple as the very first NES entry. I'm interested in what he's doing, but I'm worried about stepping backwards too much rather than forwards. You can do both; Galaxy was an amazing restatement of the Mario formula yet also felt like a Mario game from the distant future, taking us where we never thought the series could go. Since then, however, they don't seem so ambitious, and they're also slowly abandoning everything unique about the 3D entries.
But I'm sure I'll still have a great time playing this one.
Re: FAQ: Your Super Mario 3D Land Questions
@35
It's not just the map, but the combination of map, story, and presentation. I'm talking about how the game frames itself, wrapping something of significance around the set of levels. Previous Mario entries felt like new experiences due in large part to how they framed the level gameplay; it was something stunning to walk into Peach's castle for the first time (64) or to see the expansive, secret-filled terrain of Dinosaur Land. It was also a wondrous thing to be launched into the stars from the festival at the beginning of Galaxy, with the storybook unfolding slowly to explain the mysterious Rosalina and role of the Lumas.
But Mario 3D Land gives us nothing: Hey, the leaves were taken... here's some levels!
Re: Review: Deca Sports Extreme (3DS)
@6
Actually Hudson no longer has anything to do with Mario Party. The devs who had been in charge of that series from the start were split off from Hudson into a new dev team owned entirely by Nintendo, and their first game post-Hudson was Wii Party. Now they are developing Mario Party 9, previewed at E3.
So Mario Party is now a fully first-party series, with Hudson playing no role. That has me very excited to see what MP9 is going to look like.
Re: Feast Your Eyes on Skyward Sword's Intro Movie
It's interesting how much this game's setup mirrors that of Wind Waker: the old Hyrule, long ago fallen, is lost down below. Now, instead of the world being covered by water and Hyrule submerged, the people have retreated to the clouds, but its the same basic idea of upper / lower worlds.
I prefer the Wind Waker into and setup to this one. It was darker and more mysterious, and didn't explain what actually happened to Hyrule until you find it later in the game, deep under the ocean, and that was one of the most stunning moments in Zelda history.
Re: Review: Tetris Axis (3DS)
@39
Tetris DS is known for its style, sure, but also for its unique gameplay modes, and for how those interact with the retro styling. The Nintendo themes aren't static, they actually change and follow the gameplay; mission mode, for example, has changing Zelda scenes on the top screen as you progress, making it feel like each mission really means defeating a classic Zelda enemy.
Just one more example, my favorite of many modes: Push Mode is, in my mind, the greatest Tetris innovation since the franchise began, and you can only play it in Tetris DS (with awesome Donkey Kong v. Mario art framing it). It completely changes the strategy of 2-player Tetris and makes it a frantic yet complex kind of competition, with excellent AI if you don't want to go online.
Re: Review: FIFA 12 (3DS)
Needs more Tanooki tails.
Re: Explore Skyward Sword's Skyview Dungeon
@Meta-Rift
"Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are like two sides of the same coin, and Skyward Sword looks like it's going to combine the best traits of both games"
You know, you're right. That's an interesting trend right now in the Miyamoto-led franchises: they seem to be focused on consolidating and integrating the different kinds of gameplay and visuals from recent entries, attempting to produce a pure formula that retains a little of everything. That includes Skyward Sword's integration of WW and TP, as you said, but also includes Mario 3D Land in its attempt to fully integrate NSMB with the 3D entries. They're not focusing on expanding but on consolidating the gameplay right now, it seems.
Re: FAQ: Your Super Mario 3D Land Questions
@Doma
I partly disagree. Galaxy's hub was not as complex or fun as Mario 64 or Sunshine, to be sure, but that aspect of Galaxy was still infinitely better handled than its sequel. Not just the hub itself, but the way you reach the hub--after that dramatic festival intro and landing on your first 3D planet, chasing that rabbit--gave the trip to space and planets a real sense of wonder, like nothing you'd ever played before. More importantly, the mystery of Rosalina and the storybook was the real heart of the hub world. I love that book; I'd pay quite a lot for a coffee-table version of it. It was a perfect children's story, full of wonder but also sadness and loss, and composed with beautiful drawings. Plus, the hub had little bits of foreshadowing (the red luma with his 'secret', etc) and development as you slowly lit up more and more of its areas.
@Stardust
Yep, right now it's Koizumi (director of Sunshine and the first Galaxy, a fan of storytelling and of the 'playground' experience - "I wanted to simulate child's play. That was the first priority") versus Miyamoto (insisted on having no story and no hub for Galaxy 2, emphasized return to linear levels), and the latter is winning. This is one of those rare cases in which I'd like Miyamoto to take a step back and let the talented people under him take things in a new direction.
Re: Review: Tetris Axis (3DS)
Count me amongst the Tetris DS fans.
That's the absurd nature of some of these franchises: every time new hardware pops up, someone snags the license and tries to cash in on remaking it for the new system. However, they forget one thing: if it doesn't exceed the past iterations of the game, its existence simply isn't justified.
Yeah, this is Tetris--on the 3DS!--but it looks like a huge step back from Tetris DS, so why bother making this game in the first place? I hate games that created simply to cash in on a new system. It's not enough to bring an old game to new hardware: you have to make that new hardware count, make the game take on an entirely new feel and quality due to the new capabilities. They tried an AR mode here, but it looks dull. Tetris DS made clever use of the dual screens, touch controls, and more to justify its existence as a new coming of Tetris, and added some ideas (push mode!) that were a huge step forward for the franchise. This one, not so much. So why bother?
Re: Explore Skyward Sword's Skyview Dungeon
@Link79
I waited a long time to play it--long after the initial praise died down and the vocal minority of disgruntled fans took over--so I was able to play TP with fairly open expectations. I loved it. It's a grand adventure game with a ton of detail and, in my mind, a far better story and atmosphere than any prior 3D Zelda outside of Majora's Mask. So, count me among the supporters.
Re: FAQ: Your Super Mario 3D Land Questions
As for the map itself, it's broken down into Worlds, each of which is a single straight line. Nothing special, really.
Indeed. To me, without any kind of framing in the map to give it an overarching sense of adventure, it'll likely just feel like a "3D Mario Level Pack!" instead of a truly significant new entry in the Mario series. That's how I felt about Galaxy 2; it was a level pack for Galaxy, but never felt like its own game with its own vision and frame. Just think back to all the great Mario games of the past... each one felt like entering an entirely new world or era, with something surprising and exciting to frame all the stages: the new overhead maps of Mario 3, Dinosaur Land in SMW with all its areas and secrets, those mysterious castle hallways and secret rooms to explore in 64, the wonderful, living playground of Delfino Plaza, or the fantastic opening journey from the festival to that floating spaceship with Rosalina. Here we have... some 3D levels.
Oh well, I do like the sound of the CirclePad+RunButton. With the diminished range of the circle pad, the difference between running and walking wouldn't end up playing any significant gameplay role without it. A real run button should restore the quick toggle between the two states.
Re: Explore Skyward Sword's Skyview Dungeon
Spared no expense
Re: We Have 74 New Screenshots of Super Mario 3D Land
@23
I agree with you except for the NSMB part. The DS NSMB had a horribly linear map that isn't much better than what we're seeing above. In fact, while I greatly enjoyed the Wii game, the DS NSMB is what I'd rate as the worst entry in the main Mario series since at least the Mario Land games. The maps were basic, the level design was lacking... it just didn't do it for me. Bringing more of Nintendo's big developers in for the Wii game fortunately changed all of that, as did the fantastic multiplayer which was more than half its worth to me.
We agree that Galaxy 2 is the lowest of them all regarding its maps, but I would say that the problem started with the DS game, and Galaxy 2 just tried to bring the 3D games closer to that model.
Re: We Have 74 New Screenshots of Super Mario 3D Land
@17
Well, I don't believe the Mushroom House should count as a level, unless it's more substantial than I'm expecting. So I'd count the baseline at 6*8 or 48 levels. Of course, with Mully, I do expect some branching eventually...
But it still doesn't change the fact that it feels like an ad-hoc collection of individual pieces without any kind of real map or overview to bring it together. Even Yoshi's Island, which had a very linear map per world, backed that up with a nifty 3D overview of the island as you progress across its terrain and upwards. Who knows, maybe something like that is here, but it doesn't look that way at the moment.
Re: Ubisoft: "Nobody Proved Wii Does FPS Controls Better"
Ubisoft execs really shouldn't try to weigh in on anything related to game design. Just sayin'.
Re: We Have 74 New Screenshots of Super Mario 3D Land
I know I'm a broken record on this point, but I still find the moronically linear and dull map to be a travesty.
That also doesn't look like a whole lot of stages per world.
Re: We Have 74 New Screenshots of Super Mario 3D Land
The lower screen is disappointing. I always thought that NSMB (DS) missed a huge opportunity there, and here they are copying it. Actually, the one neat trick the DS title had up its sleeve was those rare cases in which it threw you to the lower screen through a pipe, but even that surely won't happen here due to the 3D / 2D problem between the screens.
Re: A Whole World of Super Mario 3D Land Artwork
@James
Easy; see the pipe dispensers in world 1-2 of Mario 3. All they have to do is wait for the next one to pop out.
Happy Whomp is awesome, by the way.
Re: Robin Williams and Zelda Team Up for Four Swords Adverts
I wonder if they'll also make any Skyward Sword videos. If so, I hope they've already recorded them, before the loss of the mighty beard. It just wouldn't be the same.
Re: Robin Williams and Zelda Team Up for Four Swords Adverts
Would someone please explain how these advertisements are different? I could swear I just watched exactly the same video twice. It must be a subtle difference.
Re: Robin Williams and Zelda Team Up for Four Swords Adverts
Nooooo! I agree with @19 — his just lost hundreds if not thousands of gravitas points by shaving that magnificent beard! Why?!
Re: Review: Mickey's Speedway USA (Nintendo 64)
@pntjr
Ha, that's just sad It reminds me of those horrible look-a-like videos that would be on the shelves whenever the next Disney VHS showed up, with a similar theme, similar title, and characters arranged in roughly the same places on the cover. Bait for unaware parents or grandparents at Christmas who don't notice something like The Kingly Lion isn't actually The Lion King.
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
James is my Sunshine.
Re: Dreamworks Creating Exclusive 3D Video Content for 3DS
The Blue Man Group is fantastic in person, but I agree that their videos are absolutely terrible.
Re: Survey - 58% of Indie Devs Say Nintendo Difficult to Deal With
Yeah but you know how those "indie" types are. Of course they don't get along with Nintendo; he's the older, established guy who gets all the ladies. >_<
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
@60
Not me; I played Sunshine within the last 3 years, and I'm certainly not in the 'younger set' given that I've been playing since the first NES Mario game hit the shelf.
I have to say that camera controls have almost never bothered me in a Mario game. I know people complain, but I can't figure out why. It's so simple to adjust with the c-stick while running.
Anyhow, Sunshine had by far the greatest open 'playground' experiences of any 3D Mario game. Just the opening area around the town square is tremendously entertaining, with so many things to mess around with, places to try and reach through various jumping and water usage, etc. That playground experience is the polar opposite of the linear get-to-the-goal kind of Mario game. Galaxy balanced both extraordinarily well, but since then, they've failed to incorporate the former kind of play.
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
@57
Agreed, every game should come with at least three different nozzle accessories.
Re: Dreamworks Creating Exclusive 3D Video Content for 3DS
Argh, Shrek on my 3DS? I'll have to avoid the video service for a couple week to keep that from happening.
(No offense to Shrek lovers, but I can't stand the character design of that series.)
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
@43
Koizumi directed Sunshine.
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
@37
Sort of, but the first Galaxy game was actually headed in a few different directions. Games are made by teams, not individuals, and having read just about every interview published on the development of the Galaxy games, I can tell you that Miyamoto's vision diverged from that of Koiziumi in a number of respects.
For instance, Koizumi is a "romantic" in Miyamoto's words, and was responsible for the somewhat bittersweet storytelling with the book and whatnot (and was responsible for the storytelling in Link's Awakening, as well), which Miya. later found to be too heavy for the Mario series, insisting that the follow-up make it simple: Peach likes cake, so she gets trapped and needs rescuing.
That story gave the first Galaxy a real sense of wonder and journey instead of just offering up a list of levels. On the gameplay front, there was also much better balance between those areas where you slow down, explore, and take in the atmosphere and those areas which are more quick and linear. The second game gave much of that up and went wither a quicker tempo across the board, but undeniably something was lost that could have been seized upon differently after the first game. Koizumi slipped back from director to producer for the second entry, and his downsized role is key to the huge difference in approach.
As much as I love Miyamoto's work, part of me would like to see him pass the mantle onto Koizumi for at least the 3D games, and divert his own attention to the 2D entries.
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
Yes, that's another problem: a 2D Mario game just isn't complete without a world map. It's such a shame that they've given up on that point.
I usually am in agreement with just about everything Miyamoto does (heck, I'm a huge fan of Wii Music), but I've actually begun to feel a little disheartened lately with his approach to the Mario series. He has other staff who would prefer to take things in a different direction, like Koizumi who was responsible for the wonderful story in Galaxy, but he keeps reigning them in and simplifying the series.
Re: Preview: Super Mario 3D Land
I'm excited for this one, but... I sure hope that Nintendo hasn't given up on the more exploratory 3D Mario formula. I'm one of those people who greatly prefers the first Galaxy to the second, precisely because the latter was too linear and also dispensed with any kind of hub or story.
Don't get me wrong, I find Nintendo's obsession with bridging 2D and 3D gameplay to be fascinating and innovative. I just hope we haven't seen the last of games like Sunshine.
Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)
Purple tunic Link is the real hero of time.
Re: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (DSiWare)
I've downloaded it on my old DSi and my 3DS, which makes for a great ready-made two player setup... but when I convinced a friend to have a go, we ran into an unfortunate problem. We played through a long level, having a great time, and then a 'communication error' occurred and destroyed all our progress, straight back to the menu as if we hadn't been playing : /
We were sitting side my side, but I wonder if having the systems too close could actually cause a wireless error; I believe I was leaning in to see her screen and had the systems within a few inches when the error came up. Oh well.
Re: Review: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (3DS Virtual Console / Game Boy)
@Corbs
I agree; the first Wario Land was the greatest in the entire set, bettering the ML games and still remaining unsurpassed in subsequent Wario Land entries. However, WL4 might come close.
Back on topic- when I originally played SML2, it felt a bit off, with the peculiar levels and overall design approach. I suppose I was expecting something more like the console Mario games. However, all these years later, I'm replaying it in light of what the same developers went on to do with the Wario games, and I now recognize the greatness here. SML2 isn't perfect, but it is a highly original and quirky take on the Mario formula, foreshadowing their decision to switch protagonists and take things in an even more creative direction.
Re: Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 Steals an OFLC Rating
Woo hoo!
I feel like the developers of the Mario Land series (a completely different group of people from the teams responsible for the home games) were always looking to create a unique twist on the Mario formula, but just couldn't quite bring it together until this game. ML1 and ML2 were certainly fun, but something didn't feel quite right... probably because the red plumber simply wasn't a natural fit for their very different creative vision.
Re: Talking Point: Why No Plans for GBA on 3DS Virtual Console?
They're not worried about hurting retail sales for these old games, because they're not in active production anyway as far as I know. All the sales are just used copies at this point.
However, they probably are worried about the download availability of GBA games this early hurting the sales of the classic GB / GBC games that they want to milk. They'd rather tap into that back catalog for a while before offering GBA titles, I believe. Why overshadow the classic Mario Land games by releasing the Super Mario Advance games at the same time?
Re: Nintendo Explains Lack of Online Play in Star Fox 64
"The popular online games work in lots of things, so they play well online"
True, there is a great deal of gray-area logic and behind the scenes adjustments for the constant shifts in lag, as I understand it. The smooth experience you get in an online game doesn't really come from the web actually being that fast or simultaneous... it's more of a constant adjustment and correction (by the server?) to create a seemingly smooth experience out of chaotic timing, lags, etc.
Re: Talking Point: The Most Memorable Third Party Game Boy Advance Games
Well, Japan-only, but I managed to obtain it. Lovely game.
Re: Review: Kirby Mass Attack (DS)
9 for the price of one!
Re: Feature: Luigi's Mansion 10th Anniversary
I long for the days when Mario and Luigi took off on separate adventures, each sporting his own unique and nifty magical backpack.
I miss the Gamecube.
Re: Feature: Luigi's Mansion 10th Anniversary
The original game is in my queue of horror games to replay between now and Halloween. Unlike all other horror-ish games, though, this one is adorable, and makes me feel like a child watching Halloween specials again.
I'm tired of the gore and zombie nonsense having taken over all things horror-related. I don't see why we can't have more "spooky" and atmospheric games and less of the extreme. We need Luigi's Mansion 2 more than ever.
Re: Mario Tennis 3DS Screenshots Are a Smash Hit
@6 Yes, Wario demands it of his tennis games. Otherwise, replaying the original GBA game will always be both cheaper and more enjoyable. : )
Re: Go First-Person in New Mario Kart 7 Trailer
I'd love to see some additional content like that on the DS version, particularly the missions that added so much to the gameplay.